Annual Youth Arts Festival set for April 4 on ECU’s campus

(Mar. 31, 2009)
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The Fifth Annual Youth Arts Festival at East Carolina University is set for Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the mall area in the center of campus.

More than 100 visual and performing artists from both ECU and across the region will share their creative talents with children and their families. The event is free and open to the public.

Family-friendly activities such as wheel-thrown ceramics, watercolor painting, weaving, felting, papermaking, printmaking, portraiture and other arts will be offered. Children will also have the opportunity to create their own artwork with the help of ECU art students, faculty members and professional artists.

Artists from the university community, Greenville area, North Carolina and surrounding states will present their work to the youth of Pitt County and Eastern North Carolina.

Exhibits by local and regional artists include:- Batik and indigo dying by Arianne King Comer of Charleston, S.C.- Australian arts by Wendy Ferguson Whitehead of Wilson.- Dinkra Printing by Ben Billingsley of Wilmington.- Printmaking by Brian Gonzalez of Raleigh, Niki Litts of Kinston and Heather Muise of Greenville. - Weaving by Rabiah Hodges of Kill Devil Hills.- Storytelling by Robin Kitson, Claire Ramsey and Henry Vogel, all of Raleigh. - Portraits by Michael Rhinehardt of Marshallburg, Erica Coker of Raleigh, and caricatures by Jeff Whelan of Murfreesboro. - Jewelry by Valda Belyeu of Washington, Deloris Samuelson of Branch and Jenni K of Greenville.- Pottery and clay works by Melanie and Wayne Waters of Farmville, Caroline Sleeper of Washington and Heather White of Greenville. - Painted guitars by Pedro and Nancy Rodriguez of Charleston, S.C.- Pine needle baskets by Jery Taylor of Charleston, S.C.- Heart art by Sherry Vick of Farmville.

ECU faculty members will present theatrical performances and host art displays for everything from silk painting (by Christine Zoller) to sock dolls (by Nan Young Kim). Highlights include a musical petting zoo by Chris Buddo, storybook theater by Patch Clark, clay throwing and hand building by Jim Tisnado, Amy McCintyre and Seo Eo and printmaking by Matt Egan and Michael Ehlbeck. ECU graduate and undergraduate students will also participate in the event.

The Youth Arts Festival coincides with the Youth Arts Month sponsored by the North Carolina Art Education Association. Organized by ECU’s School of Art and Design, the event is being supported by businesses, organizations and individuals.

In case of rain, the festival will take place in the Jenkins Fine Arts Building on ECU’s campus. For more information, and a complete list of artist participants, visit http://www.ecu.edu/soad/youtharts.cfm. # # #